


All Fun and Games

by sc010f



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Post Reichenbach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-06
Updated: 2012-03-06
Packaged: 2017-11-01 13:09:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/357148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sc010f/pseuds/sc010f
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post TRF, Mycroft makes John an offer he probably should have refused. Too bad John finds the job fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Fun and Games

It didn't even occur to John to say no. He thought that maybe he should have at first - it _was_ Mycroft, after all who made the suggestion, and it had been Mycroft who had first betrayed his brother. 

But when Mrs Hudson and Dr Thompson and Bill and Harry and Mike all started making noises about "getting out more" and "getting outside yourself a bit", he presented himself at Mycroft's office with a sullen glare.

Mycroft just looked at him and raised an eyebrow. 

"You're late," he said finally.

"I didn't say I'd be coming," John countered. 

Mycroft favored him with another eyebrow.

* * *

"Any point in asking where we're going?" John asked in the back of Mycroft's car.

"Salisbury Plain."

"You're joking."

Mycroft raised a third eyebrow.

"Oh, right. The British Government doesn't joke."

"Not about that."

* * *

After seven weeks of training, it occurred to John that he was having fun.

After ten weeks, it occurred to him that he probably shouldn't be classifying this as _fun_.

After fourteen weeks, he was taken up to what was termed "the Nursery" and nearly killed himself and five men younger than he on a survival course. 

"Having fun, John?" Mycroft asked at the end of the course.

John eased out of his boots and wiggled his toes. 

"Would it surprise you if I said 'yes'?" John asked.

"Not in the least."

"Then, yes."

"Good. Here's your first job."

* * *

So much for _primum non nocere_ , John thought as his first assignment crumpled into his roasted quail with mango salsa. 

That was, after all, what they were: _assignments_. Assignments that came with a rather generous payout. Enough to keep Harry in private rehab and help Mrs Hudson really get the building up to spec. 

And John may have splurged a time or two - the car especially.

Which wasn't to say that John _didn't_ have second thoughts about all of it. But he also finally understood what Sherlock had meant about "caring". And a fat lot of good that had done him. 

Although, creeping through a snowy wood in the middle of Switzerland wasn't the most fun he'd ever had. 

But what the hell. The blonde at the cafe near his hotel had a nice smile. Perhaps he'd pop round after work and take her to dinner. 

Which is, of course, when one target turned into one target and one potential target and completely ruined John's day.

"So, Sherlock," cooed Moriarty. "Here we are again. You always did like to make a scene."

John blinked seven times to make sure he's not hallucinating. Then he counted to twenty seven (his lucky number) and stared again.

Yes. It's Sherlock. Yes. He's talking to Moriarty. Yes. They're both standing at the edge of a cliff. 

John started listing all the different swear words that he knows, alphabetically by language, and brings his rifle to his shoulder. This time he won't wait. And as he took his sight, he decided that the first thing he would do once he took the shot will be to retire and move back to England and keep bees or something. 

Because it really had been all fun and games until Sherlock showed up - _alive_ and broke his heart all over again. Well, really until Sherlock showed up and made John realize his heart had been broken in the first place.

"Bastard," John whispered affectionately as he squeezed the trigger as lovingly as he knew how.

**Author's Note:**

> Not mine, no money. A shot (no pun intended) at filling a prompt on the kinkmeme (long lost) inspired by Martin Freeman's work in 2010's _Wild Target_.


End file.
